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  • Old Filth

  • By: Jane Gardam
  • Narrated by: Bill Wallace
  • Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (218 ratings)

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Old Filth cover art

Old Filth

By: Jane Gardam
Narrated by: Bill Wallace
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Summary

Long ago, Old Filth was a Raj orphan - one of the many young children sent 'home' from the East to be fostered and educated in England.

Jane Gardam's novel tells his story, from his birth in what was then Malaya to the extremities of his old age. In so doing, she not only encapsulates a whole period from the glory days of British Empire, through the Second World War, to the present and beyond, but also illuminates the complexities of the character known variously as Eddie, the Judge, Fevvers, Filth, Master of the Inner Temple, Teddy and Sir Edward Feathers.

©2004 Jane Gardam (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A magnificent, deeply moving and compassionate portrait of an era and a sentimental education. Please read it." ( Daily Mail)
"Beautiful, vivid and defiantly funny." ( The Times)

What listeners say about Old Filth

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Purpose??

This book looks back at the life of an old barrister and judge as he comes to the end of his life, so prepare for jumping around in time and location, and only having answers to some questions posed at the beginning resolved at the end.

The narrator was great. I easily listened to this through a number of car journeys, but would probably have been frustrated if I'd read this as a book, ie dedicating time and effort especially for this. The end result feels like, life is pretty pointless. There seems to be no reason put forward by the author for life, or a moral of sorts, so felt a bit empty by the end.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb

Wide ranging, beautifully written and narrated. A history of the twentieth century. You’ll fall in love with Old Filth.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliantly told story of the Raj orphans

Really interesting era set during the end of empire before the second world war. Very well read and very well told.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful book, beautifully read

This is a touching, interesting and often funny book, about a generation of Raj orphans, children who were sent to Britain by their parents and brought up by strangers. It is read with perfect nuance, tenderness and humour by bill Wallace.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Lovely Tale of an Interesting Life

I did enjoy this story, it was really well crafted to keep us guessing about various oarts of Old Filth's life, I loved the character of Filth, and it was a joy to follow him through his often sad life. I don't usually read this type of book which was, I suppose, like a biography, but I did find it held my attention and I did not want to put the book down.

I do like the way that Jane Gardam writes - the story isn't forced upon you - it gently unfolds.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Thoroughly good read!

Old Filth is a fascinating character and so clever the way the puzzle pieces of his life are revealed.

Narration was brilliant and absolutely convincing.

Jane Gardam is a favourite author for me now

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My favourite audio book

What made the experience of listening to Old Filth the most enjoyable?

After at least five years, this is still my favourite audio book, along with A Thousand Splendid Suns.

A lovely story and very well read.

What did you like best about this story?

Everything

Have you listened to any of Bill Wallace’s other performances? How does this one compare?

His best

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It's like a warm hug from an old friend now

Any additional comments?

Try it - you really won't be disappointed

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very enjoyable reminiscences and life story

Bill Wallace does an excellent job of portraying Old Filth and revealing his past life. A story gently told despite the terrible events of Feathers' young life. Events unravel in a subtle, gradual way and you can feel desperately sorry for the young boy while at the same time understanding Old Filth's lack of emotion in the living of his later life, and the telling of it. I felt quite close to Teddy in the end.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Recommended

One of the better books for me, I often don't finish them , this was more than interesting and humorous, maybe it's an age thing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful book. How lucky I am to have discovered it. A work of art. Jane Gardam is a national treasure.

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